Environmental Issues, Their Causes,
and Sustainability
Sustainability
Growth & Development
Resources & Pollution
Problems in the Environment
Chapter 1
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Key Concepts
Growth and Sustainability
Resources and Resource Use
Pollution
Causes of Environmental Problems
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The Field of Environmental
Science
• Environmental Science is
interdisciplinary, and includes
_________________ and ___________
aspects of ____________ impact.
– Incorporates scientific aspects of
___________, conservation, geography,
with inputs ____________ sciences such as
__________, sociology and political
science.
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EQ: What classes have you taken that
are interdisciplinary with
Environmental Science?
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Interrelated Nature
Environmental Problems
• ___________ is everything that affects an
organism during its lifetime.
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An Ecosystem Approach
• Ecology- the study
___________________________________
_________________________
• Ecosystem: Region in which the organisms
and the ______________________ form an
interacting unit. (living and nonliving
things)
– The task of an Environmental Scientist is to
recognize and understand natural interactions
and integrate these with human uses of the
natural world.
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What is the task for
Environmental Scientists?
• ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
__________________________
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Living More Sustainably
• Sustainability- (1)
__________________________________________
_________________________________________
& (2) _______________________ earth’s
endowment of natural capital that supplies this
income
• Sustainable Society-satisfying the basic needs of the
people for food, clean air & water, and shelter
indefinitely without (1) depleting or degrading
natural resources & (2) preventing future
generations from meeting their basic needs
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Refer to Spotlight on p. 5
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Environmental Issues Journal
• What is sustainability?
• Discuss the correlation (trend), if any, between human
population and natural resource consumption. In other
words, when human population increases, what
happens to the resources and why?
• Do you believe that the current lifestyle of the US is
sustainable?
• Analyze your lifestyle: How would resources be
affected if everyone on Earth lived the way you do? Do
you think there would be more or less? What kinds of
things do you use daily that require electricity, water,
gas and other non-renewable resources?
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Population Growth
Exponential
Growth- Growth in a
species that takes place
at a
___________________
___________________
Doubling
Time/
____
Rule of 70- 70
divided by percentage
growth rate=doubling
time
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Fig. 1-2 p. 4
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Graphing Population Curve
• Draw a line graph representing the human
population growth curve from 1904 until 2054.
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Critical Thinking:
• Why do you think there has been a population
explosion world wide? Discuss 3 world factors
that impact population.
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World Population
Fig. 1-1 p. 2
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Economic Growth
• ______________________ (GNP)- the value of all
the goods and services produced within and outside
of a country during a year plus the net income
earned by its citizens
• ___________________ (GDP)-the value in dollars
of all goods and services produced within a country
• _____________________________ (GWP)- the
value of all the goods and services produce in the
world during a year
• Per Capita Income GNP- GNP divided by the
population at mid-year; each persons “slice of the
pie”
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Economic Development
• Developed countries
• Developing countries
(MDC)- (__________)
(LDC)- (__________) low
_______________ with
per capita GNP; represent
high per capita GNP;
______of the projected
increase in the
represent _______of the
______________
worlds pop that control
85% of wealth; _______
of resources and produce
______________ and
waste
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The Good of Economic Growth
• Positive
– Increased _______________________
– ________________________
– Increased _______________
– Safe ____________________ in Rural Areas
– Increased Production with fewer materials
– ___________ in Major __________________
(since 1970s) in MDC
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The Bad of Economic Growth
• Negative– Life Expectancy _________ in LDCs (low developed
countries)
– __________ _______ is 8 times ______ in LDCs
– Less Sustainability in Agricultural Practices
– __________________________________ (WHO)
– Increased Demand on Resources (pop)
– __________________of Habitable Surface (73%
already)
– _________ ________ from Burning of Fossil Fuels
– ***1 in 4 ____________________________________
– 3/23/2016
______ _____ Increase (___ get _____, ____ get _____)
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Globalization
• Globalization-the process of ______,
________ environmental and _______
change that leads to an ________
_____________ world; Three major
indicators:
– _______ ________
– ___________ and _____________
– ____________ ______________
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Resources
__________
___________
____-________
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Fig. 1-6 p. 9
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Renewable Resources
 _______ ________- the ________ ________
of _______________ in which it can be used
indefinitely __________ its available ______
 Environmental Degradation- __________ a
__________________ causing the resource to
decrease
Urbanization of ___________________
Excessive ____________/___________ ___________
____________/__________________
Decreased
__________________
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Non-Renewable Resources
 Energy- _________, ______, ____________
 Metallic- _____, _____, aluminum (recycleable)
 Non-Metallic- _______, sand, clay, _________
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Economic Depletion
Fig. 1-7 p. 10
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Ecological Footprint
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Fig. 1-8 p. 10
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Quick Assessment:
• Analyze the Economical Footprint Graph.
• What Country has the highest economical footprint
per capital income per acre?
• What country is reducing its economical footprint?
• Discuss the trend in India’s Economical footprint.
• ___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
________________
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Pollution
 Pollution- any ____________ of a
__________ into the environment that
_________ _________ organisms; can either
be _______ or _________ (_____________)
______________ activity
Burning of ___________ ______________
 Effects of PollutionDisrupt ___________ systems for _________
Damage to species and property
Unwanted __________________________
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Quick Assessment
• How is pollution defined?
________________________________
• What does “anthropogenic” mean?
• Cite and describe several natural and manmade (more than 3) causes that determine the
effects of pollution on the environment.
• _____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
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Pollution Sources
 __________ __________- pollution that
comes from a ___________ ________ source
______________
_______________
________ ________(cars)
 _________ Source- pollution that comes into
an area from another, ______________,
region
__________ _________ (pesticides)
Sprayed
pesticides & materials ______________
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Dealing With Pollution
Prevention (________ __________)the reduction or elimination of pollutants
R______, r_______, r_______,
r__________ & r______________
 Cleanup (_______ _________)____________________________; issues
_______________ as long as consumption of
product continues
Transient-____________________________
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___________- generally passed to the consumer
•
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Air Pollution
Global climate change
Stratospheric ozone
depletion
Urban air pollution
Acid deposition
Outdoor pollutants
Indoor pollutants
Noise
Biodiversity Depletion
• Habitat destruction
• Habitat degradation
• Extinction
•
•
Major
Environmental
Problems
•
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Water Pollution
Sediment
Nutrient overload
Toxic chemicals
Infectious agents
Oxygen depletion
Pesticides
Oil spills
Excess heat
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Environmental
Problems
Waste Production
• Solid waste
• Hazardous waste
•
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Food Supply Problems
Overgrazing
Farmland loss
and degradation
Wetlands loss
and degradation
Overfishing
Coastal pollution
Soil erosion
Soil salinization
Soil waterlogging
Water shortages
Groundwater depletion
Loss of biodiversity
Poor nutrition
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Quick Assessment
• Review the Major Environmental Chart and
create your own with 3-5 examples under each
category. In your opinion, what problems do
you consider the most threatening to the
environment?
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Environmental and Resource
Five Root Causes
Problems
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Environmental Impact
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Fig. 1-11 p. 13
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Environmental Interactions
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Fig. 1-12 p. 14
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Quick Assessment:
• Review the images for Environmental
Resources and Problems, Environmental
Impact, and Environmental Interaction.
• Discuss the 3 relationships each image has
with another chart. You may want to create a
Venn diagram or graphic organizer to help you
visualize your thoughts.
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Environmental Worldviews
 Planetary Management-humans are
dominate and decide how to best manage
the planet
Humans are in charge
There will always be more (unlimited supply)
Economic growth is good…always
Success depends on our ability to dominate,
understand and control nature
Technology will inevitably save mankind
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Environmental Worldviews
 Environmental Wisdom- human beings are
like other species and rely on the earth to
survive
Nature does not exist just for us; we need the
earth but the earth does not need us
Limited Resources should not be wasted
Some economic growth is good, other types are
not; encourage the good
Understand the earth to learn to live in harmony
with it; the more informed, the better our decisions
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Quick Assessment
• Review the “Worldviews”
• In four ways, compare or contrast the Environmental
Worldviews.
• Choose 3 statements that you agree with and describe
your views (please paraphrase or write out those
statements)
• Choose 3 statements where your viewpoint differs
from the worldview. Explain your perspective (please
paraphrase or write out those statements)
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Environmentally-Sustainable
Economic Development
Social
Economic
Social
Economic
Sustainable
Solutions
Environmental
Environmental
Fig. 1-13 p. 17
Traditional
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decision making
Decision making in a
sustainable society
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